Kids flex sports and social muscles in Haddon

CHILDREN’S AFL football and netball starter programs, Auskick and NetSetGO returned to Haddon Recreation Reserve on Sunday morning, following COVID-19 interruptions.

Coordinated by Woady Yaloak Football Netball Club, president Adam Liversage said his committee, supported by parent volunteers, have been able to hit the ground running, driving one of only eight Auskick programs currently operating statewide.

“During the break we’ve just been playing the waiting game. We’ve been ready to go, had really good community support and lots of parents asking when were kicking off again, which was really encouraging,” he said.

“Two weeks ago, we got the green light. We’ve had a lot of correspondence, made sure all our volunteers have COVID-19 training up-to-date, and that parents are social distancing, because it’s all about the kids and we don’t want to ruin it for them.

“We can have 40 kids on the oval at once, in two groups of 20, when they arrive they’re getting temperature tested, we take their details and give them a vest which corresponds to their group.”

Hosting 20 kids in the NetSetGO program last weekend, Mr Liversage’s daughter, Millie was one of 65 Auskickers.

“She’s been asking for weeks when football’s back. She was up at 6.30am wanting to put on her football gear,” he said.

Demons’ supporter, Aden was similarly keen to get on the field after a few months away.

“I missed seeing my friends and having fun,” he said.

Brett Earl’s five and seven-year-old children have kept active during the pandemic, running around their 40 acres at home, but this lacked the community feel they love.

“It’s been tricky, but it’s a small drop in the bucket… Here they can run around with their mates, so they’ve fired back up,” he said.

Haddon Auskick and NetSetGO ran for one week prior to the COVID-19 lockdown in March.